This invention relates to electrophotographic printing machine billing systems, and more particularly relates to a programmable billing system for self-service electrophotographic printing machines.
Many establishments now provide self-service copy machines, printers, or multi-functional devices, which are operated either on a coin or card basis. Commonly, the coin or card interface physically attaches to the machine via an interface port. The combination of the port and the interface device provides a means of controlling machine operation and a means for counting copies generated. The interface device (e.g. coin-operated machine or debit card reader) controls the processing of copy or print jobs by enabling or disabling a xe2x80x9cmachine enablexe2x80x9d signal. When this signal is enabled, the system allows the marking of jobs.
When a sheet is marked (copied or printed), the system emits a xe2x80x9csheet fedxe2x80x9d pulse to the interface device. When no credits remain, the interface device turns off the xe2x80x9cmachine enablexe2x80x9d signal. Upon the disabling of this signal, the system stops the marking of the job. When more credits are provided, the foreign interface device turns on the xe2x80x9cmachine enablexe2x80x9d signal that causes the system to resume the marking of the job.
However, as copiers, printers, and multi-functional machines have evolved, their functionality and available features have increased. These machines provide both simplex and duplex copies, various types of finishing (e.g. stitching, binding, hole-punching, etc.), and variable sheet size capabilities. Unfortunately, the standard interface is not configured with varying charge rates for jobs containing sheets of mixed sizes. Existing systems usually bill for an entire job at the billing rate for the largest sheet in the job. To avoid excess charges, customers generally separate large size sheets and process them through the printing machine as a separate job, which is both time consuming and inconvenient for the customer. A method is needed that provides variable billing based on sheet size for mixed sheet size jobs to avoid incorrect billing and inconvenience to the customer.
The following disclosures may be relevant to various aspects of the present invention and may be briefly summarized as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,420 to McManus discloses a coin actuated device for operating a copy machine. The device couples to a conventional electrostatic or bond copy machine and provides both coin actuated or bypass operation. The circuitry of the control device includes a power control relay which provides power to a receptacle plug connected to the copy machine, a variable time delay circuit to allow warm-up time between coin actuation and print actuation, and a variable print process timing circuit to allow for process print time prior to shut down of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,088 to Rademacher, et al. discloses a usage control system for copiers. The control system connects to the copier through an existing accounting system connection. The copier initiates operation when it receives a signal from a check-operated device, such as a coin box or magnetic card reader. The copier supplies a signal to increment the counter in the accounting system when the operation has progressed. After a delay to permit completion of the copy cycle, the operate signal is reset, and the copier is disabled.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,059 to Smeiman discloses a remote control system for providing accurate copy count and control in the operation of self-service photocopy machines. The system includes a remotely located transmitter, which sends digital signals to enable or disable a self-serve photocopy machine. A receiver mounted on the photocopy machine controls a digital display indicating the number of photocopies being made. A user-operated switch on the receiver lets a user disable the copy machine when copying is complete. The photocopy machine is then enabled by a reset signal sent from the remote transmitter, which also clears the digital display.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,398 to Simons discloses a device for recording charges for copies made on a copy machine by way of two or more accounting means connected by the device to the copy machine via a plurality of connection points. Each connection point is connected separately to a different accounting means and control means, which selectively activates one of the accounting means for recording charges.
Briefly stated, and in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of billing a customer for mixed size output sheets printed by a printing machine. The method includes programming a printing machine with billing rates for different sheet sizes, receiving an enable signal from a customer interface, feeding a sheet to the copier, determining sheet size, and sending a billing signal for each sheet marked to the customer interface.